Phantom of the Dance
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: Tea is a promising young dancer of the Theater of France who is being protected and taught by an Angel of Darkness. Based on Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. I do not own Phantom of the Opera or Yugioh. Phantom music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
1. New Owners and New Talent

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Gi Oh or Phantom of the Opera.**

**PLEASE READ TO UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES: This is a story based off the 2004 Phantom of the Opera film. I've changed things so that the situations suit the Yu Gi Oh characters more (such as Tea is an amazing dancer instead of a singer) and it will have a completely good ending (rather than Christine marrying Raoul and the Phantom being heartbroken). I'm trying to follow the movie line-for-line but some things may be changed or omitted since I can't remember everything that happens lol.**

**Character Roles:**

**Tea Gardner: Christine**

**Yami/Atem: The Phantom**

**Serenity Wheeler: Meg**

**Mai: Madame Giry (though she's not supposed to be Serenity's mother)**

**Gozaburo: Former owner of the theatre**

**Seto and Mokuba: New owners of the theater**

**Duke Devlin: Raoul (not a nice guy in this version)**

**Vivian Wong: Carlotta**

**Other characters who may appear: Tristan, Bakura, Ryo, Marik (I'm not quite sure who else I will incorporate).**

**In this story, the characters are in their twenties except for Yugi and Serenity. Mai and Joey are married and their parents are dead, so they are taking care of sixteen-year-old Serenity, who is still Joey's little sister (NOT MAI'S DAUGHTER), and sixteen-year-old Yugi who is Mai's little brother. Duke Devlin (Raoul) is Tea's childhood acquaintance who she secretly can't stand and who secretly plans to make her his wife. Seto and Mokuba are the new owners of the Paris Theater and Tea, a mere background dancer, harbors a hidden talent for ballet. Yami loves nothing more than to come out of his hiding place deep within the theater and watch the dancers. AGAIN THIS HAS BEEN TWEAKED SO THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES COMPARED TO THE FILM/ORIGINAL PHANTOM**

**Setting: Paris France 1870**

_Among the rafters of the Theater of Paris, sat a twenty-year old young man known to very few as Yami. To everyone else, he was the Phantom of the Dance, the infamous being who lived secretly within the elegant, gothic building. He was feared by all, seen as a ghost or a demon perhaps….though he truly was not. Yami loved nothing more than to hide in the shadows and watch the dancers and singers rehearse and anticipate opening night when all their hard work came together. It was this exact thing he was doing…..when he first laid eyes on her…._

It was a busy day in the Paris Theatre—every single person inside eagerly performing their assigned task. Props were being finished, costumes stitched, lines practiced, songs rehearsed, makeup perfected…..everything one would expect from a theater preparing for its next masterpiece.

Amidst the orderly hubbub, Gozabura Kaiba, owner of the theater, appeared, waving a hand at the practicing singers to silent them.

The composer, Maximillion Pegasus, was quite distressed by this.

"Mr. Kaiba!" he cried. "With all due respect, sir…I am rehearsing!"

The owner ignored this comment. "Mr. Pegasus…Mrs. Wheeler…"

Mai looked up, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. A general hush fell over the theater. Whatever the owner had to say, it must be important.

"….Some of you may have heard rumors that I was planning to retire. I am here to say that those rumors are true. The Theater of France is now owned….by my sons, misters Seto and Mokuba Kaiba."

On cue, two young men appeared on the stage. The one called Seto looked around twenty-four, with brown hair and piercing blue eyes. The other, Mokuba, was only fifteen with an unruly mop of black hair and large silver eyes. Despite the odd pair they made, everyone in the vicinity clapped respectfully, encouraging the new owners and congratulating the old.

From his hiding place, Yami smirked. "_I wonder how they will like my being here…"_ he thought.

Seto gave a bow and announced, "We are deeply honored to introduce our new patron: the gentlemen known as Duke Devlin."

Several girlish squeals sounded among the dancers as another man stepped into view. He had olive skin and gorgeous emerald green eyes, partially obscured by uniquely styled black hair.

Standing beside her red-haired friend, Tea grimaced. "Ugh…it's HIM."

"You know him?" Serenity inquired, confusion plain in her innocent eyes.

The brunette nodded and explained, "Before my father died, Duke and I met at the house by the sea. I knew as soon as I laid eyes on him that he was an arrogant, spoiled rich boy. One who is blessed with wealth and beauty and loves nothing more than to flaunt it."

Duke gave a heart-melting smile to the drooling females and said, "My parents and I are proud to be of support to the arts…especially the Theater of France."

Smiling seductively, Vivian Wong, the lead ballet dancer in their newest production, sauntered up to the wealthy patron and held out her hand.

Gozaburo smiled. "May I have the great honor of introducing Miss Vivian Wong, our lead dancer for our latest work."

Vivian giggled and curtseyed as Duke kissed her hand and Yami smirked.

"_Lead dancer? The fools... She may have memorized the ballet routine, but there is no true love for the art in her movements. She relishes the attention from the audience rather than the dance itself."_

Duke gave a hasty bow and proclaimed, "I believe I am keeping you from your rehearsal. I shall be here tonight for your….great triumph."

With that, the raven-haired man left, resulting in several dismayed sighs among the girls.

"Oh, he loves me…." Vivian mused. "He loves me, loves me, loves me…."

Tea rolled her eyes and resumed practicing her simple moves among the other dancers.

Mai began leading the new owners around as the practice resumed.

"We take much pride in our exceptional ballet," she explained.

Seto nodded and smiled at the skilled dancers. "I can see why. Especially with that little red-headed angel." He gestured to Serenity.

"That is my sister-in-law, Serenity Wheeler."

"And who is that beauty?" Mokuba asked, practically drooling as he caught sight of a certain brunette.

"Tea Gardner. She shows much promise. Much promise indeed. She was orphaned at the age of seven and adopted by my parents. Ever since then, she's been training in the ballet dormitories."

"Orphaned you say?"

Mai smiled fondly at the girl. "She is as close to me as any sister by blood."

"Did you say her name is 'Gardner'?" Seto asked in a curious tone. "Surely she is of no relation to the Swedish violinist."

"His only child," Mai replied. "Now, gentlemen, these hard working ladies are trying to practice, so if you would kindly step to one side…."

The two did as they were told, and no sooner had they gotten out of the way, did chaos unfold. One of the dancers had a stray strip of fabric hanging off her costume and consequently, got tangled up in it. She slammed into another dancer causing a domino effect to erupt across the stage.

Disgusted with the entire ordeal, Vivian stormed up to Seto and hissed, "I guess your expectant viewers will be coming to see these insignificant background dancers because I will not be performing! I refuse to be seen around such klutzy amateurs!"

She stormed off the stage, shouting at someone to fetch her lap dog.

"W-what do we do?" Mokuba squeaked.

"Grovel!" Gozaburo ordered. "Make haste and grovel!"

They chased after the enraged star, begging her to reconsider, but vain Vivian was not to be persuaded (A.N: I know there's an entirely different scene here, but I don't want to keep dragging this out).

Yami grinned, congratulating himself for tampering with the costume and therefore ridding his beloved theater of that poser. He decided this was the ample time to make his existence known, so he folded the letter he'd been holding into a "paper bird" (Since they didn't have airplanes back then) and sent it soaring down to the stage.

As if she were expecting it, Mai snatched the parchment from the air and read it silently as the others panicked over the current predicament.

"Sh-she will be coming back, won't she?" the elder owner stuttered worriedly.

Pegasus shrugged. Normally, Miss Wong's temper tantrums could be appeased with complements and self-degradation…but he had never seen her throw a fit this bad.

Gozaburo sighed and headed towards the exit. "Well….good luck. If you need me I'll be in Australia."

"Excuse me, gentlemen," Mai murmured to the distressed Kaiba brothers. "I have a message from the Theater Ghost."

"Oh, for heavens sake, you're all obsessed!" Seto snapped. "I listened to my father whine about the so-called 'Phantom of the Dance' every day and now you people?"

Mai ignored the remark and continued, "He welcomes you to his theater—"

"HIS theater?"

"….and commands that you continue to leave box five open for his use." She gestured at a balcony in the audience—one that would have fetched them quite a bit of money for its superb view of the stage. "He also reminds you that his salary is due."

"His salary?"

Mai nodded. "Mister Gozaburo Kaiba used to give him twenty-thousand francs a month."

Mokuba nearly fell over. "Twenty thousand francs!"

Yami snickered. He had to admit that being feared by all had its advantages.

"Perhaps you can afford more? With Duke Devlin as your patron?"

Seto furiously tore the letter to shreds and snarled, "I had HOPED to announce our alliance with Mr. Devlin after the show tonight, but it appears we will have to cancel seeing as we've lost our star!"

"Cancel?" Mokuba cried. "Surely there must be an understudy—"

"Understudy?" Pegasus laughed scornfully. "There is no understudy for Vivian Wong!"

"This is a disaster!" the elder Kaiba kneaded his forehead. "We will have to refund a full house!"

"Miss Tea Gardner could perform the dance, sir." Mai announced.

Tea looked at the blonde with a deer-in-the-headlights expression.

"She has been well taught."

Seto gave the blue-eyed beauty a doubtful look as Mokuba eagerly beckoned her over.

"Come, Miss Gardner, don't be shy."

Nervously, Tea stepped forward as Pegasus began directing the orchestra. She took a deep breath….and danced. People stopped what they were doing and gazed in awe at the girl whose movements were graceful and fluid like a delicate stream of water.

Yami felt as though he were watching an angel dance among the clouds. Never had he seemed such love, such….passion put into a ballet. "_Tea Gardner…" _he thought. "_I have watched her hide her talent for much too long. She is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen…if only I weren't…me…I should love nothing more than to meet her…"_

That night, Tea performed the ballet more skillfully then Vivian could have ever hoped to dance. As the Theater Ghost had noticed, she had a true love for ballet…and it showed.

Yami sighed contentedly as he watched her. She was more beautiful than ever, wearing a flowing white gown short enough to allow for graceful movement and her chocolate hair was tied in an elegant bun and adorned with white flowers.

"_She is...amazing. I want to meet her. I must meet her!"_

Little did the Phantom of the Dance realize….that someone else had noticed her as well.

"Can it be…can it be Tea…?" Duke Devlin muttered, then shouted, "Bravo!"

He exited his theater box, grinning slyly as he planned his next move. "It's seems so long ago since I last saw her. I wonder if she remembers…of course she does. How could anyone forget a face like this? Now….to make her mine."

Serenity raced through the throngs of people backstage, eagerly searching for her new star of a friend.

"Tea?...Tea?"

The girl finally found said brunette sitting by herself in a quiet room, lost in her own thoughts.

"Where in the world have you been hiding?" Serenity teased, making her friend giggle. "You were absolutely perfect. I just wish I knew your secret. Who taught you to dance like that?"

"Serenity…" Tea began ominously. "When your mother brought me here for the first time…I used to come down here and light a candle for my father. Each and every time…I felt as if someone was watching me….guarding me. You see….when my father lay dying…he told me that he would send someone to watch over me….someone who would hide in the shadows and protect me. I suppose you could say…an angel of darkness…and whenever I dance….I feel as though someone is guiding me….guiding me to trust in my heart and give myself over to the music."

Serenity gazed at her thoughtfully. "Tea….do you believe? Do you truly believe that someone is watching over you?"

"What else could explain what I've been feeling, Serenity? What else?"

Tea stood up and walked over to the room's stain glass window, murmuring, "I always used to dream the angel would appear. Even now….I can sense him in this room…calling me softly…"

Worried, Serenity stood up and gently took the other girl's hands, leading her out of the supposedly sacred room.

"Tea, you must have been dreaming. Stories like this simply cannot come to pass. You must take your mind off these things….you're talking in riddles and it's not like you."

In order to go back to her dressing room, Tea had to locate Mai to help her push through the mob of fans waiting for her.

"No!" Mai hissed, pushing the lovesick males away from her companion. "Get back you animals!"

Finally, the blonde reached the room and pushed the blue-eyed beauty inside. Tea gasped, seeing the piles of bouquets waiting for her. Mai smiled and picked up one of the flowers, approaching the awestruck girl.

"You did very well, hon," she said, handing Tea a single red rose with a black ribbon tied around the stem. "He is pleased with you."

He being the Phantom of the Dance.

Taken aback, the brunette stared thoughtfully at the flower from the infamous Theater Ghost.

"_Pleased with me…?" _she thought. "_Could it be that the Phantom of the Dance…is also…my angel…?"_

Tea had been lost in thought for only a few minutes before the door opened again, this time to a very unwelcome visitor.

"Hello my dear Tea," Duke Devlin greeted, flashing one of his trademark fox like smiles "It's been quite a while. You sang like an angel tonight."

The brunette resisted the urge to groan and gave a polite smile. "Hello, Duke. It is good to see you again."

"Why so formal my dear?" the wealthy patron laughed. "You must learn to loosen up! Come, I will get my carriage and we shall go to dinner!"

"No, I—"Tea tried to think of an excuse.

"I insist. Stay here. I will be back for you momentarily."

Duke strode out the door before the girl could argue again. Moaning, Tea began to pace about the room, wondering how she could get out of this mess. Suddenly, as if some supernatural force had entered the room, all the candles blew out. The blue-eyed dancer glanced around nervously when she heard a voice.

"Insolent man, this slave of fashion…basking in your glory….ignorant FOOL! This arrogant suitor…..sharing in MY triumph…"

"_It's him…" _Tea thought dreamily. "_My angel of darkness."_

"Angel, I hear you!" the girl called. "Speak to me, for I listen. Please….stay by my side...forgive me. I didn't have the courage to tell him how much I loathe him. Please…guide me, my angel…"

Yami's heart grew warm. "_She sees me as an angel…when most call me a demon."_

"Dear girl, you shall know me," he murmured. "You shall see why in shadow I hide. Look at your face in the mirror…for I am there inside."

Tea turned as he slid back the glass on the mirror, which was really a trap door.

The girl gasped when she finally laid eyes on the man she'd dreamed of for so long. He was around her age with red, black and blonde hair styled into spikes. He was thin, but muscled and though she couldn't quite see the hues of his diamond-shaped eyes in the darkness, she was certain they were beautiful…just like the rest of him.

Yami reached out his hand to the girl. "Come with me….my beautiful dancer."

Smiling and feeling slightly entranced, Tea was more than happy to oblige the dark stranger. She slipped her delicate hand into his and stepped inside the mirror, officially at his mercy when he pulled the glass shut.

Moments later, Duke burst into the room and was quite surprised to find his "date" missing. Little did he know, she had been taken by the Phantom of the Dance.

**Well…there it is! The first chapter. I really hoped you enjoyed it but if you did not, please don't flame. Please review!**

**I do not own Yugioh or Phantom of the Opera. Again, I DO NOT own any version of Yu Gi Oh or Phantom of the Opera.**


	2. Angel of Darkness

**Here we go, chapter 2! This chapter's a bit shorter. Just in case anyone is nervous about Yami having a tragic ending like the Phantom did, please don't worry! Remember, the guy who fills the role of Raoul is a jerk in this, so Tea doesn't love him. **

Slowly and carefully, Tea walked along, hand-in-hand with her Angel of Darkness. He was leading her through the dark, dank catacombs beneath the theater, holding a burning torch as the only other source of light came from the dimly flickering candles on the wall.

Now that there was a little more light, the girl was finally able to get a better look at her mysterious friend. He wore a dark shirt and pants and a long black cloak with a high collar. She also noticed that the reason she could not fully glimpse his eyes was because he wore a white mask that mostly obscured him.

Cryptic thoughts whirled though the dancer's mind. "_In sleep he sang to me…in dreams he came…that voice which calls to me…and speaks my name…oh how I've dreamed of this! I only wish I could see his eyes…"_

Yami glanced back at Tea and gave a slight smirk. "_My power over her…grows stronger with every passing second. Though she turns to glance behind, I can sense that she has no desire to leave me…"_

The Phantom noticed that his companion was growing tired, so he led her up to an ebony-colored horse, and gently lifted her onto it. They went down several stair cases, journeying even further beneath the building, and stopped upon reaching a corridor filled ankle-high with water. Yami helped Tea off the horse, then guided her to step into a gondola bobbing gently atop the misty stream. He then pushed off, using a long pole to navigate.

Tea could feel his obscured gaze on the back of her head as they went. "_I've heard stories among the more superstitious people of the Theater…they say that those who have seen the Phantom's face grew paralyzed with fear…just what is he hiding behind that mask…?" _She gasped as they neared their destination and candelabras slowly, ominously slid up and out of the hovering mist.

The boat eventually came to rest at a small island within the watery cavern. It was lit up by hundreds of dripping wax candles and its contents included piles of sheet music along with a few pieces of elegant furniture. There were a few statues and costumes here and there, no doubt missing props.

Tea took her Angel's hand as he helped her up a small ledge to a higher level of the island. This area contained a beautiful piano, illuminated by even more candles, as well as a room off to the side which was concealed by a red velvet curtain.

The enigmatic man sat down at the piano, running his gentle fingers across the glossy keys as he murmured, "Please…dance for me."

His voice was so deep and hypnotic that Tea could not help but oblige as he began to play. She danced with more passion and grace than she'd ever felt before. The brunette felt as if she had been captured…entranced by the Phantom of the Dance's music.

The girl became so lost that she did not notice that the music had stopped and gave a slight shriek of surprise when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist.

"It's all right," The Angel murmured. "Touch me…trust me… give yourself to the music of the night."

Tea smiled and Yami wound up a large music box—an ornate device with a ceramic monkey on top that would clang its tiny cymbals together as the music played. With a song to guide them, the two began to dance. Tea wanted nothing more than to tear off the mask of her protector and behold his true face, but she suppressed her instincts and sighed forlornly as he slowly twirled her.

"_Floating…falling..." _Yami thought, breathing against the blue-eyed beauty's chocolate hair. "_I've never felt like this before…to be with someone who does not judge you for your appearance…of course she cannot really see my TRUE face… but I feel that this girl truly does care for me." _His heart lurched with anger when he thought of Duke Devlin. "_I would sooner die than let him take her away from me…"_

After a few moments, Yami noticed that the dancer in his grasp had suddenly become heavier. He looked down to see that she was fast asleep. The Phantom smirked and effortlessly lifted Tea into his arms, carrying her into the curtained-off chamber which served as his bedroom. He gently laid her on his bed, a large metal peacock shaped structure filled with plush satin pillows. Tracing the young woman's delicate face with his fingers, Yami whispered, "You alone can make my dreams take flight. YOU…are my music of the night…"

The Phantom stepped back and pulled the curtain closed, leaving Tea to dream.

In the upper levels of the Theater of France, Serenity was racing around, worriedly searching for her friend. "Oh…where could she have gone…?" the girl muttered. "Duke said she was gone when he came to fetch her for dinner, so I figured she'd hid to get away from him…but he's been gone for hours and there's still no sign of Tea."

Serenity finally arrived at Tea's dressing room and tentatively stepped inside. She searched every nook and cranny of the room until she came upon… the mirror. "_Wait… there's a gap!" _the red-head thought excitedly, wedging her slender fingers into the space. She pulled and the glass slid aside, revealing a dark passage into the theater catacombs. Hesitantly, Serenity stepped inside and looked around. The only things she saw were cobwebs and rats, and she was about to venture further into the dark depths when a hand grabbed her shoulder. The girl shrieked and whirled around to see… Mai. The blonde said nothing, shaking her head and dragging Serenity out of the passageway.

Within the dormitories, the back stage man, Marik Ishtar (A.N: Yami Marik) was busy entertaining the girls with his horror stories of the Phantom of the Dance.

"Like yellow parchment is his skin," the vulgar man grinned. "A great black hole serves as the nose that…never grew."

The dancers squealed and he seized one of them, smirking as she giggled uncontrollably in his grasp. "You'd best be on your guard…else he'll drive his silver dagger through your heart!"

Fed up, Mai stormed up to the stage hand and pulled the dancer away from him, giving the girl a scolding look before turning to Marik.

"Those who speak of what they know," she began, "find too late that prudent silence is wise. Marik Ishtar hold your tongue!" the woman slapped him across the face, resulting in a collective gasp among the females.

"_Mai…" _Serenity thought as her sister-in-law stomped off, "_What do you know about the Phantom…that we do not…?"_

Tea awoke to the soft chiming of the cymbal monkey. Feeling groggy, she rolled out of the bird-shaped bed and pushed aside the red curtain. She found the Phantom sitting at his piano, playing beautiful, haunting music. The brunette came up behind him and began running her fingers through his tri-colored hair. He sighed and leaned his head back, relishing her gentle touch. Tea smiled and moved her hands from his hair to his face. She traced his jaw then hooked her fingers beneath the mask… and lifted it from his face.

"NO!"

The man sprang away from her, knocking her down in the process. The girl stared at him in stunned silence as he crouched on the stone floor, whimpering softly. (A.N: I know he curses and yells at her in the original, but I didn't want that in this version.)

"Stranger than you dreamt it…" He muttered, keeping a hand clamped over his eyes. "You couldn't possibly bear to look or to think of me…this loathsome gargoyle who burns in hell but secretly…yearns for heaven, secretly…Tea."

Tears sprang to Tea's eyes and she slowly approached the Phantom. The top part of his face was still covered. "…this repulsive creature who secretly dreams of beauty…secretly…"

Tea was openly crying now. How long had this pitiful creature of darkness loathed himself? The girl stood before him and gently grasped the hand that covered his eyes. His grip tensed and she whispered, "…What kind of life have you known…? I am not afraid of you…please…trust me. You are not alone."

Yami's heart lurched, but he allowed the dancer to pull his hand away. Tea found that she was staring into piercing eyes, not of blue, green, brown, silver, or hazel…but of crimson red.

"Now do you see?" Yami murmured. "What good ever came from one with eyes the color of blood…? How can you possibly hope to see the man within the monster…?"

Tea tenderly placed her hand on his cheek and gazed into his crimson orbs. "You are just as human…just as beautiful as any person. You are not a demon…you are an angel."

Yami closed his eyes, allowing a single tear to roll down his face. He placed his hand over hers and pressed it harder against his cheek. "_Never…have I met anyone like her…she sees me for me…not as some beast escaped from the depths of hell…"_

After a few moments, Yami stepped away and announced, "Come, we must return. Those two fools who run my theater will be missing you."

In the grand hall of the Theater, the aforementioned fools, Seto and Mokuba, were currently fretting over Tea's disappearance as well as a letter they had received from Yami.

"_Mr. Kaiba, just a brief reminder," _Seto read aloud. "_My salary has not been paid. No one likes a debtor—it'd be better if my orders were obeyed. P.S: Miss Gardner's performance was beyond marvelous. I would be so bold as to say that Miss Wong's departure was a blessing. – The Theater Ghost_

"Who would have the NERVE to send this?" both brothers exclaimed simultaneously.

"Theater ghost…" Seto scoffed. "He is mocking our position."

Mokuba nodded, adding, "In addition, he wants money."

"WHERE IS SHE?"

The duo turned to see Duke Devlin storming up the staircase, looking none too pleased.

"You mean Vivian?" Mokuba inquired.

"I mean Tea. Where is she? I demand an answer! I take it you are the ones who wrote it?"

"Of course not!" Seto exclaimed. "What is it we are meant to have written?"

Duke unfolded a letter marked with the Phantom's seal and read, "_Do not fear. Tea is fine. The Angel of Darkness has taken her under his wing. Do not bother her again_."

The green-eyed man looked up at the owners and started, "No one stands between me and Miss Gardner! If you are not the ones who sent it, than who—"

"WHERE IS HE?"

The group turned to see Vivian Wong flying into the room, flanked by her numerous assistants. The woman stormed up to Duke and snarled, "I have your letter! One that I rather resent!"

"I sent you no letter!" the patron snapped.

"This is not the letter you sent?"

"And, what is it that I'm meant to have sent?"

Vivian unfurled the parchment and handed it to Duke.

"_Your days at the theater are numbered. Tea Gardner will be dancing in your place tonight."_

"Tea Gardner!" Miss Wong shrieked. "That little amateurish orphan in my place? I think not!"

Mokuba sighed. "There's been far too many notes for my taste… and most of them are about Tea! All we've heard is that girl's name since we came her and now she's missing—"

"Miss Gardner has returned," Mai appeared in the room followed by Serenity.

"Is she all right?"

"Yes, but I thought it best she was alone."

Serenity explained, "She needed rest.

Mai then approached Seto and handed him a piece of paper. "Here, I have a note."

Seto groaned. "Too many notes…FAR too many notes..."

"_Gentlemen…I have thus far sent you several notes dictating how my Theater is to be run. I am anxious that Tea's career progresses, so you shall cast her as Countess. Miss Wong will play the roll of the pageboy—a part in which she moves very little. I shall be watching.—The Theater Ghost."_

"THE PAGE BOY!"

Everyone winced at Vivian's shrill tone.

"I have never been so insulted!"

"Nevertheless…" Seto raised a hand to silence her. "People have grown somewhat fond of her. Tea Gardner will be the Countess while Vivian Wong is the page boy."

Everyone nodded and began conversing amongst themselves, walking away and leaving the raven-haired woman with her mouth hanging open.

"_How dare they! Replacing me with that little wannabe…" _Suddenly, her face twisted into a cruel smile. "_Oh…they'll find out what happens when you mess with Hurricane Vivian. Just wait!"_

**Uh oh… mean girl attack! I hoped you enjoyed chapter 2! Please review. No flames please.**

**I do not own Yugioh or Phantom of the Opera.**


	3. One Love, One Lifetime

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or Phantom of the Opera.**

**Thank you so much for reviewing my story! I really appreciate your encouraging feedback since this story has been really challenging to write. Just to clarify any confusion, I know that they cast Christine/Tea as the pageboy in the movie, but I had to change it so that Carlotta/Vivian would have a reason to plot revenge. You'll see what happens in this chapter.**

Tea paced back and forth nervously as the time to raise the curtain grew nearer. She had, only hours ago, received the news that she would be playing the part of the Countess, a rather challenging ballet role, instead of the page boy. The dancer was thrilled of course, but naturally nervous. How could this drastic change have happened so quickly? Perhaps the Phantom of the Dance had something to do with it…Tea smiled as she reminisced to their last goodbye.

"_Angel…" she murmured as he led her down the shadowy passageway to the mirror door. "If I may be so bold as to ask…what is your name?"_

_The spiky-haired enigma hesitated before answering._

"_I…know not my real name, but…I call myself 'Yami'. It means dark—quite fitting for someone like me."_

_They stepped through the secret door and into Tea's flower-filled dressing room. Most of the plethora of bouquets had begun to wilt because of the lack of containers for them…but Tea had made sure to locate a vase for the Phantom's single red rose._

_The girl turned around to face him, a worried expression twisting her beautiful features. "I will…see you again, won't I?" she asked._

_Yami smiled and stroked her cheek with the crook of his finger. He was sad to be saying goodbye…but overjoyed that she was sorry to see him go._

"_Undoubtedly, my dear. In fact, I will be watching your performance tonight?"_

_Tea blushed furiously and exclaimed, "Oh, you needn't bother! I will only be playing the page boy…I am not allowed to speak, let alone dance…"_

_The Phantom smiled his trademark mysterious smile and replied, "Don't be so sure…you'd be surprised how quickly things change…" before slipping back into the mirror and pulling the glass closed behind him._

Yes, Tea was now certain her Angel had come through for her. Suddenly, Serenity came racing towards her and exclaimed, "It's time! Are you ready?"

Tea took a deep breath and nodded before getting into position on the stage. She gasped as the curtain was raised, revealing thousands of people in the audience. Not a single chair was empty. The brunette smiled as she knew that her guardian of darkness was out there somewhere and then…she danced.

From his usual spot in box five, Yami beamed happily, feeling extremely proud as he watched his blue-eyed beauty perform the ballet with expertise. Though he hated to miss the end of her dance Yami was inclined to leave his seat and journey into the rafters backstage so that he could congratulate his prodigy once the act was over.

The Phantom balanced easily on the narrow beams, more skillful than any backstage man could ever hope to be. He had been hiding in the Theater for years and knew its nooks and crannies like the back of his hand.

Right as Yami found the perfect place to wait, he noticed Vivian Wong dressed in her page boy costume, conversing quietly with Marik.

"…and what's in it for me?" Marik asked, grinning perversely as he added, "I rather like watching the little brunette cutie dance."

Vivian smiled craftily, pulling out a wad of money and pressing it into the stage worker's hand. "The money to BUY someone prettier than that little pipsqueak could ever HOPE to be."

Marik's eyes grew wide with greed. "All right…" he nodded, sticking out his calloused hand. "Deal."

Vivian looked at his hand in disdain, but forced a smile and shook it before he scurried off to the rafters.

"Pleasure doing business with you…Miss Wong."

Yami watched suspiciously as Marik tip-toed across the beams, heading for the area directly over the stage. Worried, the Phantom followed. He caught the man fiddling with the ropes attached to several weights used to raise and lower props. Yami's crimson eyes followed their trajectory down to the stage…directly to the spot where Tea was dancing. His heart nearly stopped when he realized the truth. Vivian had just paid someone to crush her competition…literally.

Instincts taking over, Yami lunged at Marik, dragging him away from the ropes. Marik was not one to give up easily, however, as he back handed his attacker in the jaw and threw him against one of the support beams. The Phantom gasped in pain as his back hit the hard metal beam, but the stage man wasn't done yet. Marik grinned nastily and punched the injured Theater Ghost again, this time knocking the white mask from his face. Just as the dark-skinned man grabbed his opponent's throat to strangle him, Yami's eyes opened. All the color drained from Marik's face when he beheld those blood-red eyes and Yami seized the opportunity to shove him away.

As the Phantom gasped for breath and coughed, Marik kept stepping backwards, completely out of his mind with fear…until he stepped right off the beam. Yami tried to grab the doomed man's arm, but it was too late. As Marik fell, he got all tangled up in the ropes and began to struggle to free himself. This proved to be a fatal error…for once the cords supporting his arms and legs were gone, the rope around his neck became an instant noose.

Screams erupted among the audience as they beheld the dead man hanging over the stage. "It could only be his doing!" several cast members cried. "The Phantom of the Dance! He seeks to kill us all!"

"_No!" _Yami thought frantically. "_It was an accident! I tried to save him but I…"_ He froze when he caught sight of Tea. Her face…so beauteous and delicate….bore an expression of such horror and fear, the likes of which he had never seen. Despite the terrible trials he had suffered through his life…it was that one sight that made the Phantom's heart break in two. "_What must she think of me now…?" _he thought before racing out of the rafters and onto the roof.

Tea raced backstage, shocked by what she had just witnessed. "_What could have possibly happened? I have to make sure Yami's all right!"_

The dancer's desperate search was interrupted by the last person she wanted to see—Duke Devlin.

"Tea, my dear, there you are!" he proclaimed in a sickeningly false concerned tone. "We must get you away from this mad house before that demented monster hurts you!"

"Lies!" Tea snapped, trying to push by him. "He would never hurt anyone!"

The patron blocked her way. "And how do you know that? Is he not the Ghost of the Theater of France? A monster of cryptic legend that hunts to kill whenever it pleases?"

"Duke, I've met him!"

The ebony-haired man stared at her in shock as she continued, "I've been to his home, and he's not what everyone says he is! He is kind and gentle, not a barbaric monster! People mistreat him just because he looks different, and I won't stand here and listen to you abuse him as well!"

Duke grabbed her wrists and said, "This creature has brainwashed you—blinded you to logic. This may be poor timing to tell you this, but one of the reasons I came back to France was so I could make you my wife. As your future husband, I cannot allow you to act so foolishly for the sake of a madman."

"Duke Devlin, you are the last man in the world I would ever marry!" Tea snapped, wrenching her wrists away. "You are arrogant…heartless…vain…everything I can't stand in a person! You would do well to stay away from me and stay away from Yami!"

With that, she ran off, leaving a stunned Duke Devlin behind.

"_Yami, you say…" _he thought seething that another man had stolen her heart. "_I will have to keep that in mind. You can't escape from me, Tea. You never will."_

Tea burst out onto the roof, breathing heavily from exertion as well as anger. She simply could not believe the audacity of Duke Devlin. To act the way he did then ask for her hand…complete and utter arrogance!

Feeling the chill of the night air laced with snowflakes,

Tea shivered and ran her hand up and down her exposed arms. Her pink and white spaghetti strap Countess gown offered very little protection against the elements.

Suddenly, the girl froze when she heard soft whimpering. She followed the sound behind a large stone statue of a horse. As her eyes traveled down the structure to its base, the source of the noise was finally revealed.

Sitting upon the freshly fallen snow, one leg stretched out and the other drawn up to his chest and supporting his forearm…was Yami. He had his face buried in his arm and his cloaked shoulders shook with heartbroken sobs.

"Yami?" Tea murmured softly, slowly approaching him.

The Phantom's head shot up and the girl's heart lurched with sorrow when she beheld his masked eyes. They were redder than ever and filled with a heart-wrenching grief that would have perhaps driven anyone else to end their suffering.

The brunette took another step towards the broken Angel and was surprised when he shrank back. "What's wrong? It's me…"

Yami turned his grief-stricken face away from her and muttered, "You must think me a monster now…how can you even bare to be in my presence? Go…leave me… I do not expect to hold a place in your heart now…"

Tea knelt down beside him and said in a mock reproachful tone, "Come now, I thought you knew me better than that."

Yami gave her a confused look and she explained, "I know you didn't hurt Marik. I never doubted you for a second."

"_She knew…?" _the Phantom thought incredulously. "_When everyone else was panicking and calling me 'murderer'…this girl had faith in me…?"_

Throwing self-control to the wind, Yami threw his arms around Tea and buried his face in her hair. She was a little shocked at first, but soon smiled and returned the embrace.

"He saw me…" the angel of darkness whispered, allowing a few more tears to fall. "Marik saw my eyes…and was so scared that he fell to his death. It was an accident, but it doesn't change the fact that it was my fault….I truly am a monster…I should have just stayed in the darkness where I belong…"

"It is not your fault and you are not a monster," Tea whispered, rubbing comforting circles on his back. She pulled away and gently wiped the tears from Yami's face. "No more talk of darkness…let daylight dry your tears. I'm here. No one can harm you."

Tea helped the Angel of Darkness to his feet and guided his hands to her waist, placing her own on his shoulders. "Dance with me…she whispered and Yami was more than happy to oblige.

As the two danced, Tea laid her head on Yami's chest, and he wrapped his arms more firmly around her waist, breathing in her intoxicating scent. The Phantom pulled back slightly and gazed into the girl's gorgeous sapphire orbs. "_I am not worthy…" _he thought, his gaze wondering to her pink lips. "_but perhaps…I will give in to one of my sins."_

Yami leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on her lips, pulling away before she could respond. The brunette said nothing, touching her mouth and staring at him in shock.

"I-I'm sorry…" he stammered, shocked at his own actions.

Tea smiled, reached up, and removed the Phantom's mask. "I'm not," she murmured, leaning closer so that their faces were inches apart.

Stunned at what was happening, Yami leaned in again and captured her lips in his. This time, the kiss was long and passionate, and they broke away only for need of air.

"Tea…" the Phantom whispered, leaning his forehead against hers. "I know I don't have much…actually, I don't have anything…but… can you possibly bring yourself to love an Angel of Darkness? To share with me one love in one lifetime…?"

Tea smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Nothing…would please me more."

The young couple kissed again as snowflakes swirled around them. Little did they know, that they weren't alone in their moment of bliss.

"_So HE is the man who has stolen what should have been mine…" _Duke thought from his hiding place, hatred boiling in his arrogant heart. "_Just you wait, Tea. You will curse the day you did not do all that Duke Devlin asked of you."_

**Cliffhanger! Hope you enjoyed chapter two! Please Review.**

**I do not own Yugioh or Phantom of the Opera.**


	4. Faces Hidden and Truth Revealed

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or Phantom of the Opera.**

**Here's chapter 4. I'm having so much fun writing this! Thank you sooooo much for all the awesome reviews. I'm not sure if anyone is confused about this, but just in case, let me clarify that Yami is not disfigured like the Phantom was. He's feared because he has red eyes. I just couldn't bear to make him disfigured lol!**

"This cannot go on!" Seto shouted, pacing up and down the marble-floored entryway. "Who will come to a theater plagued with a Phantom? He will ruin us!"

Duke was standing in the background, smirking slightly as he thought, "_Hmmm…now seems like the perfect time to make my move."_

"Mr. Kaiba," the crafty patron began, "perhaps if we were to…get him out into the open, we could take him down."

"And just how are we supposed to do that?" Mokuba snapped. "The guy's virtually invisible! He never shows himself in public!"

"He will if it's an excuse to see HER again."

Seto stopped dead in his tracks. "Who?"

"Why, Miss Tea Gardner of course!" Duke grinned. "You see…unbeknownst to anyone but me…the girl has developed a somewhat…shall we say fondness for our Phantom friend. If you were to host a masquerade party, it would be the perfect chance for him to visit his beloved without being recognized."

Both owners nodded thoughtfully. "Yes…that's perfect! We'll host the party tomorrow night. We'll move in…and take him down."

The next evening hundreds of people arrived at the Theater, all wearing elaborate costumes and masks. Each guests clothing was more colorful than the next and it was almost impossible to recognize anyone. Tea stood away from the crowd, wearing a long, sparkly white gown and a white mask decorated with light blue feathers. She scanned the crowd anxiously, but there was no sign of Yami anywhere.

It was then that the dancer caught sight of Mai in the crowd. The woman was wearing a silky purple dress with a simple mask and her husband, Joey, wore a navy-blue suit and equally simplistic mask. Tea noted with concern that Mai had a distant, sad expression on her face and was clinging to her partner's arm as if he were her lifeline. Every so often, Joey would lean over and plant a gentle kiss on the blonde's head, murmuring comforting nothings to her.

Tea was about to go to see what was the matter, when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned to see Serenity, dressed in a light pink gown with a flowery mask.

"Hey there!" the girl greeted cheerily. "What are you doing here all by yourself?"

The brunette blushed slightly and said, "Well…I'm…waiting for someone."

"Awwww!" the red-head squealed. "How did you meet? What's his name? Do I know him? What—"

"Serenity!" Tea laughed. "Calm down, please! I need your help. If you see Duke, can you keep him away from me?"

The younger girl grinned and nodded. "Sure thing! I'll keep that Duke-a-Dork away. Don't you worry!"

With that, Serenity rushed over to Mai's younger brother, Yugi, muttered something in his ear, then bounded off with him hot on her heels. The blue-eyed girl noticed that Yugi's hair looked a lot like her angel's, and she was in the process of wondering if it was a new fashion, when yet another person tapped her on the shoulder. Once again, Tea turned around to see…

"Yami!"

Said Phantom was dressed in an ebony-black suit with a red rose pinned to the collar as well as a crimson cape. He wore his usual white mask with a not-so-usual smile of genuine happiness.

"Hello, my dear," he breathed, taking her hand in his. "You look positively stunning."

Tea giggled. "I could say the same to you, my Angel of Darkness."

"May I have this dance, then?"

"You most certainly may."

The couple joined the other jovial guest and began dancing more contentedly than ever before.

"By the way," Yami murmured, reaching into his pocket. "This is for you."

Tea gasped when he pulled out a gorgeous diamond ring with a sapphire encrusted band.

"Oh Yami, it's…it's beautiful! Where did you…"

Yami smirked as he slid the ring on her finger. "Twenty thousand francs a month…comes in handy."

"I love you…"

Unrecognized in his dark green suit and black and green mask, Duke Devlin growled angrily as he watched the Phantom of the Dance with his woman. "_He'll regret the day he ever laid eyes on her…" _The man thought, placing his hand on the hilt of his hidden sword.

"SO WE FINALLY MEET, FACE TO FACE….PHANTOM OF THE DANCE."

At the mention of the infamous name, all the guests gasped in horror, glancing around to see the man they all feared. Tea stared at Duke in horror, completely astounded as to how he could have figured it out, while Yami gently separated the girl from him. He pulled up the hood of his cloak to conceal his recognizable hair as the patron began stalking towards him with a sword.

"You're not what I thought you'd be," Duke taunted, circling The Phantom while brandishing his rapier. "I thought you'd be taller…fiercer…maybe it's just me, but those are the things I would expect…from a MURDERER."

Yami said nothing as several people gasped and whispered amongst themselves. Yami glanced at Tea and mouthed the word, "run" before dropping a smoke bomb from his hand. With his body concealed by smoke and artificial flame, he was able to drop down into a trap door before Duke could impale him.

Ensured that her fiancée was safe, Tea heeded his advice and took off. She ran through the halls until she finally reached a secluded room and locked the door. Breathing heavily, the brunette leaned her back against the door…and gasped when she realized she was not alone.

Tea glanced over to see…Mai. The normally strong, tough woman was sitting on the ground in the corner, crying miserably.

Alarmed, the dancer rushed to her side and exclaimed, "Mai what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"Is he safe?" Mai choked, looking up at the girl. "Did the Phantom get away?"

"He did…" Tea murmured and was silent for several minutes. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and said, "Mai…for as long as I've been here…you seem to know more about the Phantom than anyone else. Please…tell me."

Mai gazed at Tea for a moment, then took a deep breath.

"It was years ago…but I know I'll never forget it."

_Fourteen year old Mai gazed around in awe at all the queer and grotesque things at the traveling fair. Men breathing fire, women curled into seemingly impossible poses, people covered from head to toe in elaborate tattoos._

_She and the rest of her group approached a man with a monkey on his shoulder._

"_Come," He lured, grinning sickly. "Come meet the Devil's child."_

_More curious than fearful, Mai and the other children followed him into a tent. He led then to a large cage and Mai pressed up against the bars to see what was inside. It was a boy, only about twelve years old, wearing a cloth sack over his head. He was covered in dirt, bruises and a few scars and the blonde girl gasped when he looked up at her. The boy's expression, though barely visible through the sack, was one of sorrow and shame. He stared at Mai for a moment, then went back to playing with a small cloth cymbal monkey he had in the cage._

_The circus gypsy who had led them into the tent unlocked the cage door and stepped inside. Mai gasped in horror while the other children laughed cruelly as the man knocked the monkey out of the boy's hands and began beating him mercilessly with a wooden rod. He then tore off the sack and the young Miss Valentine was shocked to see that the boy had unruly tri-colored hair much like her own brother's._

"_See the Devil's child!" the horrid master proclaimed, grabbing a handful of his victim's hair and forcing him to look up at his audience. Mai saw that the boy's eyes were blood red like that of a demon's…but they held no malice—only pain. She choked back sobs as the gypsy struck him again and the other students laughed and began scurrying out of the tent._

_Mai wandered unhappily around the circus for a few minutes, but when she found she could not stop thinking about the abused boy, she headed back over to the tent. Soundlessly, the girl crept inside and hid behind a barrel. Upon studying the prisoner, she realized he had small silver dagger in his grasp and was trying to pick the lock on the cage. The blonde was about to go lend her assistance when she heard a shout._

"_You!" the gypsy man stormed into view, clutching his familiar rod. "You are trying to escape? I will beat you within an inch of your life!" he unlocked the cage and stepped inside._

_Mai suppressed a scream as she watched the scoundrel leap at the boy, knocking him to the ground and was shocked when she heard the man emit a muffled yell and then go limp. Forgetting her desire to remain hidden, the girl raced over to the cage and pulled the heavy body off the boy. She saw a knife sticking out of the man's chest and quickly realized he had impaled himself when he lunged at the prisoner. _

_Mai looked at the boy who was staring at his abuser with a look of shock and horror on his mud-streaked face. He looked up at the blonde, eyes pleading that it was an accident, and Mai murmured, "It's okay…I know you didn't mean to…"_

_The twelve-year-old's expression relaxed and he looked about to say something when several angry yells sounded throughout the tent._

"_Come on!" Mai cried, grabbing the boy's hand and high-tailing it out of there. She led him down the dark streets of France with the angry gypsies hot on their trail, stopping only once they reached the Theater. Pulling back a grate on the base, the girl pushed her new friend down the hole leading into a lower level of the building, then took an alternate path herself to throw off their pursuers._

_Inside the Theater of France, the red-eyed boy found himself in a small room lit only by candles. Frantically, he looked around for his new friend, and was utterly relieved when she appeared down the stairs and grabbed his hand once again. The boy did not know where this girl was leading him, but he was more than happy to trust the one person who had looked upon him with compassion instead of ridicule._

"So…" the Mai from the present sighed. " I hid him from the world and its cruelties. He has known nothing else of life since then…except this Theater. However…this story is not why you found me like this…"

Tea gave her a questioning look and the woman opened a small black book she'd been clutching to her chest the whole time. 

"I was going through my deceased parents' things…and I found this," Mai explained. "A journal written by my father. Listen to this entry:"

"_Today was quite dismal indeed. My first son was born…but the child's irises are the color of blood. He must be some sort of demon sent to earth…so we sent him away. I am not sure how we will explain to our two-year-old daughter that her baby sibling is gone… but it had to be done."_

Tea stared at the blonde in shock and Mai took a deep breath.

"My foolish parents were very traditional…neither I nor Yugi could stand them. They never had any time…any love for us… and they obviously had no love for my lost brother…the Phantom of the Dance."

Mai took Tea's hands in hers and murmured, "Please, Tea…I know you care for him…and he loves you more than anything in this world. Please…take care of him."

The brunette smiled sincerely and replied, "I will, Mai. I promise."

Once Mai had been consoled Tea grabbed her riding cloak and raced outside into the bitter cold. It was too much…too much at one time…and the one person she wanted to talk to…was her father. The dancer flagged down a carriage and ordered that she be taken to the cemetery—the one place where she could collect her thoughts.

Unfortunately, the girl didn't realize…that the coach was Duke Devlin in disguise.

**Uh oh… Yami better get a move on! Sorry this chapter was shorter, but I am working on chapter 5 as you are reading this. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review!**

**I do not own Yugioh or Phantom of the Opera.**


	5. A Trio of Traps

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or Phantom of the Opera.**

**Here we go! This is the last part of Phantom of the Dance and I think it's the longest chapter I've ever written. Enjoy, and thanks for commenting all my other chaps!**

Yami raced through the secret passages of the Theater, desperately trying to control his frenzied breathing. There was only one thing on his mind—Tea.

"_Duke saw us! He knows!" _the Phantom thought. "_I told Tea to run…but who knows if she got away!"_

Yami halted abruptly when he heard people talking through the wall. Thinking they may have heard something about his beloved, he pressed his ear against the passage and listened.

"So Miss Gardner disappeared? Just like that?"

"Yep. That new stage boy—what's his name?"

"Bakura?"

"Yeah that's it. Bakura said he saw her get in a carriage and ride off towards the cemetery."

"Oh my…is she going to be okay?"

"Well, people are saying they that Duke Devlin went after her, so I'm sure she'll be fine."

Yami's heart nearly stopped. "_NO! I can't let him get to her!" _he thought and raced down to his lair. It was time to take his ebony-coated horse, known to him as Dark Magician, out for a ride.

Silently and solemnly, Tea walked among the plethora of tombstones. It was already freezing outside from the snow, but somehow, in this graveyard….she felt even colder.

"Father…" she murmured. "You were once my one companion…you were everything to me. When I lost you…my world was shattered."

She continued her walk, gazing at the various monuments of death. The girl allowed herself a small smile. "All these bells and sculpted angels….they seem the wrong companions for you…you were always so warm and gentle."

Tea eventually found herself standing before an elegant mausoleum…the one where her father's body was buried. Tears sprang to her eyes as she slowly slid down to the snow-covered ground. "Oh how I wish you were here again!"

After a few moments, the dancer gasped when she heard a voice.

"Wandering child, so lost and helpless…how long have you been yearning for my guidance?"

"Angel of my father…" Tea murmured, slowly climbing to her feet. "Is that you?" The voice sounded so…familiar…

"Too long have you been struggling without my fatherly gaze. Come to me…do not resist…"

Entranced by the hopeless thought of seeing her father again, the brunette began slowly walking toward the tomb, which had taken on an eerie red glow. Fortunately, she was halted by another familiar voice.

"Tea, get away from there!" Yami shouted, galloping towards her on Dark Magician's back. He dismounted the horse and ran towards his fiancée, unsheathing a silver-hilted rapier in the process. "That voice is not your father, it's—"

Before he could finish, Duke Devlin jumped off the mausoleum roof and slashed at the Phantom with a sword of his own. Yami blocked the attack and Tea ran for cover, slightly shell-shocked by what had just happened.

Yami back stepped across the stone platform of the tomb, skillfully blocking Duke's flurry of sword slashes. He leaped onto the wall and was thrown against a tomb stone by one of the patron's heavier strikes. Scrambling to his feet, the Phantom barely got out of the way before his opponent managed to skewer him, then took off towards the more densely statue-populated area of the cemetery. The stone slabs and angels gave him more protection while allowing him to launch unpredictable attacks at the same time. Just as Yami was gaining the upper hand, he felt Duke's blade slice through his arm. Yelping in pain, the Phantom stumbled backwards and returned to simply blocking rather than attacking.

After a few minutes of chaotic battling, Yami managed to knock Duke on his back and was about to drive his sword through the patron's heart, when Tea shouted, "No, Yami!"

Said Phantom looked at her in confusion and she murmured, "Let him live. He's not worth it."

Yami stared at her for a moment, then returned his gaze to Duke. He kicked the raven-haired man's sword away and sheathed his own before bringing his steed over to Tea. The Phantom effortlessly lifted the dancer and himself onto Dark Magician's back, then galloped away, leaving Duke Devlin to seethe in the snow.

"You steal the woman I was supposed to marry, and then humiliate me?" he growled, watching the couple gallop away. "Fine…then let war be declared on you both."

Once they were a safe enough distance away, Yami slowed Dark Magician and glanced back at Tea. He was alarmed to see that his fiancée was crying.

"Tea?" he murmured, turning so that he was sitting side-saddle on the horse. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

The brunette shook her head and sobbed, "Duke…he knew me when my father was alive. He saw us together and KNEW how close we were! He knew how devastated I was when he died, and yet…he made me believe my father had come back to me…."

The girl buried her face in her hands and the Phantom felt

guilt stabbing at his heart as well as hatred for Duke Devlin. To think that he had made Tea, a cheery girl who always looked on the bright side of life, so miserable….

Yami didn't finish the thought, instead wrapping his arms around the brunette and whispering, "I'm sorry…I should have gotten here sooner. I promise I will never let him harm you again."

The Phantom kissed the top of her head before turning back around to ride Dark Magician and Tea buried her face in his shoulder as they rode back to the Theater.

In the Theater of France entryway, Seto and Mokuba were in a state of panic.

"What are we gonna do?" Mokuba cried. "That masquerade party was our best chance of finally nabbing this guy, and he got away!"

Duke, who had been leaning against the staircase in the background, walked towards the owners and said, "What do you mean he got away? That party was just the beginning. The sole purpose of that gathering was to lull the Phantom into a false sense of security. He THINKS he's too smart for us…and that will be his undoing."

Seto cocked an eyebrow and inquired, "What exactly are you suggesting we do then?"

In answer, the patron pulled out a black folder and handed it to the elder Kaiba.

"We have a new ballet. With Miss Gardner as the star, the monster is sure to come running. And when he does….he'll be running right into a trap."

It was almost time for the show to begin. Tea, dressed in an off-the-shoulder dress, had just finished putting a red rose in her elegantly tied up hair, when Mai came into the room.

"It is time for you to come backstage," she said.

The brunette nodded and started to leave, when the blonde suddenly grabbed her hand.

"I sense all is not right with this ballet," Mai muttered cryptically. "Please be careful."

Tea squeezed the woman's hand and replied, "I will. Besides…HE will be watching me, so if there is trouble, I know he'll save me."

When the curtain finally rose, Tea danced the elaborate ballet with her usual grace and expertise. Completing her part for that portion of the play, she stepped out of the spotlight, letting the background dancers take over. The girl breathed slowly, trying to build up her energy as she thought, "_I'm supposed to have a companion for my next part. I don't know who it is, but I need to rest while I can since he'll be fresh while I'm tired."_

Taking a deep breath, Tea danced back onto the stage as another figure came into view. Her partner, wearing a black mask to conceal his face, moved towards the girl, spun her around and dipped her so low, her head nearly touched the ground. Upon being pulled upright again, Tea's heart nearly stopped when the man spoke to her.

"So THIS is what it's like," Duke Devlin sneered, his face only inches from Tea's. "To be this close to you…"

The brunette gasped and tried to pull away, but the patron's grip was too strong. "Now, now, don't be silly. I am a master of the ballet…it should be an honor for you to perform with someone as skilled as I am."

Tea growled, but put up with having to dance her part with the creep. When it came time for her to break away and dance on her own however, she did so eagerly. Unfortunately, the girl's solo didn't last long and she soon found herself back in her enemy's grasp.

"You see, my dear," Duke muttered, grinning as Tea squirmed uncomfortably in his hard grip. "Your Phantom friend…shall we say…crossed the point of no return when he crossed paths with me." He moved his head in the direction of the audience. "Do you see those soldiers up there? All I have to do is shout the one speaking line I have in this little production…and THAT will be the signal for them to gun down the infamous Theater Ghost."

Tea's breath caught in her throat at these words. This entire ballet…was just a trap to slay the Phantom? As Duke opened his mouth to give the signal, the brunette hit him as hard as she could across the face, resulting in many gasps from the audience, and screamed, "YAMI, RUN!"

Duke snarled and shouted to the guards to "pursue and destroy", before striking Tea and dragging her off, headed….for the Phantom's lair.

Yami raced through the theater halls, searching frantically for a trap door through which he could enter. To his dismay, most of them had been barricaded, courtesy of Duke Devlin he wagered.

The soldiers' voices grew louder and he was just about to give up, when he was seized from behind. The Phantom yelped as he found himself…in a secret passage he didn't even know existed. The person responsible for saving him—Mai.

Yami gazed at her in shock. "It's…you."

Mai nodded brusquely and said, "We don't have much time. Duke has taken Tea. He's headed for your lair."

"Why would he go there?"

"My guess is that he wants to lure you there. Please be careful…he means to kill you."

Tea struggled and shrieked as Duke dragged her roughly through the dark corridors to the Phantom's home.

"Down, down to the darkness!" he grinned. "Down to this pit of hell…to the home of the demon you've fallen in love with!"

He unceremoniously dragged the girl through the chamber of water and to the candle-lit island, throwing her down to the stone floor.

"Now, let us wait for your hero to fall into the trap."

Yami raced down the winding stone staircase, looking and listening for any signs of Tea. Unfortunately, he was not familiar with that particular path and, consequently, did not know of the trap door hidden on the steps. The stone gave way and the Phantom plummeted downward, landing in water. He was able to rise to the surface and take only a quick breath before a metal grate closed across the surface, cutting him off from oxygen. Looking around frantically, Yami caught sight of a lever on the wall. He swam over and begun to tug on it, but the device would not budge.

"_Is this the end…?" _the Phantom though as he began to run out of air. "_Am I to die here and leave Tea with that…"_

The concept of leaving his fiancée to the mercy of Duke Devlin sent adrenaline pumping through his veins, and he pulled on the lever with all his might. Finally, it moved, and the metal barricade receded. Yami sprang up to the surface, gulping in air to soothe his burning lungs.

Fortunately, the Phantom noticed that his near-death-by-drowning experience had not been in vain as he had arrived in the watery hall connected to his lair. Yami bounded around the corner and finally caught sight of Tea…though she was cut off from him by a large metal gate.

"Wait," he heard Duke say. "I think, my dear, we have a guest."

"Yami!" Tea called, looking slightly relieved but mostly worried.

"I was hoping you would come," Duke grinned. "And it seems my wish came true! You have truly made my night."

"Free her!" the Phantom cried, clinging to the gate. "Do what you like, only free her! Have you no pity?"

The patron looked at Tea and said mockingly, "Your lover makes a passionate plea."

"I love her!" Yami continued. "Does that mean nothing? I love her! Show some compassion!"

"Compassion to a demon?" Duke smirked. "I think not."

"Let me see Tea!"

"As you wish."

The raven-haired villain pulled on a lever and the metal gate rose. Yami made his way over to the stone island where his lover and his arch-enemy stood side-by-side.

Duke shoved the girl away and proclaimed, "Monsieur, I bid you welcome! Did you think that I would harm her? Why should I make HER pay? After all…the sins are… YOURS!"

"Yami!" Tea cried as Duke lunged forward, sword drawn. Yami leaped out of the path of the blade and drew his own weapon. He reached up and pulled off his mask, revealing his crimson eyes

"Ah…" the patron smiled deviously. "So the demonic face of the Theater Ghost is finally revealed."

The Phantom narrowed his eyes and growled, "Let's duel." (A.N: Couldn't resist!)

The opponents clashed, blades producing sparks as they slid off each other. This time, Yami knew his adversary's strategy a little better and actually got the advantage over him. Unfortunately, Duke was more than happy to fight dirty. He grabbed a small rock off the floor and hurled it at Tea, causing the girl to shriek and fall to the ground in order to avoid it. This little stunt proved to be the perfect distraction for the Phantom, and Duke took advantage of his opponent's current absence of attention, knocking him to the ground with a swift kick to the chest.

"How pathetic," Duke grinned, positioning his sword above Yami's heart. "Nothing can save you now…except perhaps Tea."

He turned to look at the brunette, pulling a small glass vile out of his pocket.

"See this? It's an incredibly deadly poison—one drop is enough to kill. This substance is illegal to bring into most countries—including France…but I had my ways of getting it. It causes extreme suffering in its victim for two whole minutes before allowing him to die—much worse than simply being stabbed in the heart. And it just so happens that my blade is coated in this very toxin."

Duke put the vile back in his pocket and continued, "My proposition is this. Come with me. Become my faithful and adoring wife…and I will let your creature live. If not…you can watch him suffer."

Tears spilled down Tea's face. She had always known that Duke was a jerk…but she never imagined he could be so evil, so…heartless. And now she would have to spend the rest of her life with him? What choice did she have?

Yami was looking at her, eyes pleading her not to give up her own freedom for his sake. He would never forgive himself if he was the reason the dancer gave up her happiness…but she would never forgive herself if he died when she had the power to save him.

"_God, give me courage to do this…" _Tea thought as she stepped towards Duke. The brunette placed her hands on the cruel patron's shoulders, took a deep breath to fight the nausea forming in the pit of her stomach…and forced herself to kiss him. Her skin crawled as he snaked an arm around her waist and she had a difficult time not gagging when he finally released her. Yami looked about as sick as Tea felt and he thought to himself that the hatred he had for his abusive master at the circus, or the people who came by just to laugh while he was being beaten…was miniscule compared to his loathing of Duke Devlin.

Duke's mouth twisted into a deviously triumphant grin. "A wise decision, my darling…and now that you've given your word that you will marry me…" he raised his toxic blade. "I can finally put an end to this monster!"

"NO!" Tea screamed. She should have known that this horrid man would never keep his word to a woman.

In the split second she had to act, the blue-eyed girl grabbed a nearby candelabra and swung it, hitting Duke as hard as she could in his vulnerable side. Duke cried out in pain and staggered backward. His eyes suddenly widened…but not from the agony of metal colliding with ribs. The spot Tea had hit was where his shirt pocket was located…the shirt pocket that held the deadly glass vile. Consequently, the container had shattered, and the force of the candelabra had driven the poison-coated glass into his skin. One drop…was enough to kill.

The patron fell to the ground, writhing and moaning in extreme agony. Finally, after two minutes, he stopped moving all together. Yami and Tea stared at each other, each thinking the same thing as the other—Duke Devlin…was dead.

The brunette gasped as voices began to echo throughout the catacombs.

"Come, he must be found!" one shouted.

"Heh…we'll kill the demon in his pit of hell!" another answered.

Tea grabbed Yami's hand and helped him to his feet, saying, "We must go! They can't find us here!"

The Phantom, however, gave a sad, cryptic smile and replied, "You go. Leave me. Forget this place…forget all you've seen. Forget everything you've learned about the Angel in Hell."

"WHAT?"

Yami flashed the girl a pained look, tears glistening in his narrowed crimson eyes. "Do you not hear them? Hunted down by everyone…no compassion anywhere…no kind words from anyone…Tea!" he grasped her upper arms and stared directly into her face. The dancer could tell he was trying to affect a cold expression…but failing miserably. "If you are with me…if we are together…you will never have a normal life!"

Yami looked away, unable to glimpse her face. He was completely surprised when he heard a soft chuckle.

Tea lifted her hand and placed it on the Phantom's cheek, turning his face to look at her. "As I said before…I thought you knew me better than that."

Yami stared at her with a stunned expression as she concluded, "I don't want a 'normal life.' I want a life with you. I said I'd share with you one love, one lifetime, remember? Well I don't intend to go back on my promise."

"But…what about Duke?" The Angel of Darkness asked, eyes wandering to the corpse. "When they find him here, dead, there will surely be a bounty on my head."

Tea shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I think that once his body is examined, people will be mighty interested in the fact that he possesses a stash of illegal poison. That ought to keep the authorities busy for a while."

The girl then wrapped her arms around the Phantom's neck and murmured, "Please, Yami….you have yet to experience the beauty of the world. All you've known is cruelty and rejection. Let ME be the one to show you how wonderful life can be…."

Yami gazed into those gorgeous sapphire orbs, feeling his heart beginning to melt. Perhaps…he could afford to be optimistic…just this once.

The Phantom smiled and said, "Well…I hope you know where we're going, because I spent all my money on that ring of yours."

Tea laughed, relieved that she wasn't going to lose the love of her life and replied, "Don't worry….you have more people who care for you than you think you do."

Of course, Yami had no idea she was speaking of Mai, and he chose not to ask. Instead, the Phantom kissed her passionately, then grabbed candle stick off the ground. He began to shatter all the mirrors in his lair and Tea was about to ask why when he finally reached the last one. Yami swung the metal object, obliterating the glass and revealing….a passageway. He grabbed his fiancée's hand and pulled her into the tunnel, pulling a curtain over the opening to conceal their path.

When the soldiers finally made it to the Phantom's lair, they were utterly shocked to find that Duke was dead and their quarry, as well as Miss Gardner, had vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a discarded white mask. The men had no way of knowing….that Tea and Yami were currently escaping France with the aid of the Wheeler family.

**EPILOGUE**

It had been six long years since Tea and Yami had escaped France on that fateful night. Since then, they'd been living in England in a small estate that Mai had bought using the money that she, and technically Yami, had inherited upon their parents' death. As for the former Phantom and his new wife, they had been working at a local theater in London. Though they both missed the Theater of France, it was vital that they leave the country until the "Phantom at Large" scare died down.

Reading a book on the mystic land of Egypt in the living room, Yami smiled when he felt two slender arms wrap around his waist.

"Hello, my dear," he greeted, turning around and kissing Tea. His smile then faded slightly and he muttered, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Tea nodded confidently. "I'm positive."

"She's right hun," Mai replied as she entered the room. "People haven't been talking about the Phantom of the Dance for ages now. It's all water under the bridge."

"If you say so, sister," Yami murmured, smiling in spite of himself as the last word rolled off his tongue. Although he had learned of his and Mai's relation years ago, it still felt nice to know that he had a blood relative who truly cared for him. Well…TWO actually. When young Yugi learned he had a brother to help him combat two sisters, he had been completely overjoyed.

Noticing her husband's lingering uncertainty, Tea leaned in and whispered, "We can't keep denying HER the right of seeing the land of her inheritance, you know…"

Yami nodded solemnly, then smiled when the aforementioned "HER" came bounding into the room. She was a beautiful four-year-old girl with large blue eyes and long black hair with red and blond streaks running through it.

"Daddy!" the child squealed, running up to the former Phantom of the Dance with arms outstretched.

Yami grinned and scooped her up into his arms, rubbing his nose affectionately against hers and making her giggle. "Are you excited, Seraphine?" (A.N: Seraphine is a French name meaning "burning one." I named her that because of Yami's eyes.)

Seraphine's sapphire orbs widened as they stared into his ruby ones, and she nodded eagerly. The girl then glanced back and forth between her parents and asked, "Can we go now, pretty please?" Her eyes widened into her infamous puppy-dog expression.

Tea gave Yami a look that screamed, "She gets that from you," then smiled and said, "We'll leave soon, Sweetheart…but first, Daddy and I have to tell you a little story about the place we're taking you."

Seraphine cocked her head. "What story?"

Yami walked over to the mantle above the fireplace and began winding up the cymbal monkey music box. "In order to really enjoy this story…" he began, turning the tiny crank while holding his daughter with his free arm, "….you have to hear this song."

The child listened intently to the quaint little tune coming from the box and asked, "What is it?"

Sharing a quick smile with Tea, Yami brushed his little girl's hair out of her face and replied, "It is a song that caused to people to fall so deeply in love….that all the hurtful words of the people of the world….. could do nothing to stand between them."

**THE END**

**I hate to say it, but it's over. I hope you had as much fun reading this as I had writing it! Again, your comments were greatly appreciated and I read and enjoyed every one of them! Thank you so much, and please review!**

**I do not own Yugioh or Phantom of the Opera.**


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